impŏtens — Lewis & Short
impŏtens (inp-), entis, adj.2. in-potens,
I powerless, impotent, weak, feeble (class.).
I In gen.
(a) Absol.:
neque homini infanti aut impotenti injuste facta conducunt,Cic. Fin. 1, 16, 52:
ad opem impotentium,id. Mur. 28, 59; cf.
Sall. Or. Licin.: (Juno) inulta cesserat impotens Tellure,Hor. C. 2, 1, 26.—
(b) With gen., having no power over, not master of, unable to control:
gens impotens rerum suarum,Liv. 9, 14, 5; cf.:
equi impotentes regendi,id. 35, 11, 10:
ob sitim impotentes sui,Curt. 4, 7:
impotens irae,Liv. 29, 9, 9:
laetitiae,id. 30, 42, 17:
amoris,Tac. H. 4, 44:
doloris,Val. Max. 4, 6, 2:
animi,Curt. 8, 1 fin. al. —
II In partic., that is not master of himself, unbridled, headstrong, violent, insolent, immoderate, excessive, furious (syn.: effrenatus, infrenus).
A Of animated beings:
mea (amica) est impotens, procax,Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 15:
victoria eos ipsos ferociores impotentioresque reddit,Cic. Fam. 4, 9, 3:
impotens, iracundus, etc.,id. Phil. 5, 9, 24:
homo impotentissim us, ardens odio,id. ib. 5, 16, 42:
confidens, impotens, etc.,id. ib. 11, 7, 16:
Marius immodicus gloriae, insatiabilis, impotens,Vell. 2, 11, 1:
si contra impotentem suscepta est causa,Quint. 6, 1, 12:
ferox atque impotens mulier,Suet. Ner. 28:
inimici,id. Claud. 15:
militibus impotens,violent, despotic towards the soldiers, Just. 26, 3.—
(b) Poet. with inf.:
(regina) quidlibet impotens Sperare,Hor. C. 1, 37, 10.—
B Of inanim. and abstr. things:
quae effrenatio impotentis animi!Cic. Phil. 5, 8, 22; cf.:
aut nullos animi motus aut non tam impotentes fuisse,id. Part. Or. 35, 119:
laetitia,id. Tusc. 5, 7, 17:
impotentissimus dominatus,id. Fam. 10, 27, 1:
in multo impotentiorem subito rabiem accensi,Liv. 29, 9, 6:
impotentissimae cogitationes (invidiae, avaritiae, etc.),Quint. 12, 1, 6:
actiones,id. 5, 13, 21:
superstitio (with saeva),Curt. 4, 10:
postulatum,Liv. 7, 41, 8:
jussa mulierum (with pervicacia),Tac. A. 3, 33:
injuria,Liv. 38, 56, 11:
amor,Cat. 35, 12:
Aquilo,Hor. C. 3, 30, 3; cf.
freta,Cat. 4, 18.— Hence, adv.: impŏtenter.
1 (Acc. to I.) Powerlessly, weakly (very rare):
elephantos impotentius regi,Liv. 27, 48, 11.— More freq., but perh. not anteAug.,
2 (Acc. to II.) Passionately, violently, intemperately:
aliquid facere,Quint. 1, 3, 13:
dicere aliquid,id. 6, 3, 83:
uti magna potentia,Sen. Ep. 42:
flagitare divisionem agrorum divitum,Just. 16, 4: regnare, Auct. B. Alex. 33. — Sup.:
quae impotentissime fecit,Sen. Ben. 4, 17.